Hydroplane



R. E. VENTRESS HYDROPLANE.

APPLICATION HLEU Nov`|6,1920.

Patented Nov. l59 1921,

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H. E, VENTRESSHSR..

HYDHOPLANE.

APPLICATmN FILED Nov.16, |920.

LSQ'YAY@ Patented Nov. 15, 1921,

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ATTORNEY R. E, VENTRESS, SR.

HYUHOPLANE.

APPLICATION ITI-LLI.) NOV\ I6, 1920. l 1,39%470, Patented Nov. 115,1921.

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ATTORNEY R. E. VENTRESS, SR.

HYDROPLANE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 16, |920. y

LSQ'YAW@ Patented Nov. I5, i921,

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HYDROPLANE.

APPucATxoN FILED Nov 1s, 19m

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INVFNTQH' ITNESSS, ATTORNEY Erica.

ROBERT EMMET VENTRESS, SR., OF MOBILE, ALABAMA.

HYDRGPLANE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 15, 1921.

Application iled November 16, 1920. Serial No. 424,422.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, ROBERT EMMET VEN- Tnnss,Sr., a citizen of the United States, residing at Mobile, in the countyof Mobile and State of Alabama, have invented new and usefulimprovements in Hydroplanes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to flying machines, particularly to those of theheavier than air type, and has for its object the provision of ahydroplane equipped with a plurality of propellers which may have theirpositions shifted so that they maybe maintained in any position betweenthe horizontal and vertical whereby the propellers will not only exert apropelling action for causing the machine to travel but will also exerta lifting power which will enable the device to rise or descendvertically and also to be maintained motionless inthe air at any pointdesired.

An important object is the provision of a device of this character whlchmight be built into an already existing aeroplane or hydroplane, therebeing no particular variance 'between the fusela e and wing constructionof my device an that of other well known and dierent drive devices.

Another object is the provision of a device of this character providedwith manually controlled means vfor ,simultaneously shifting all of thepropellers and for holding them in such adjusted position.

An additional object is the provision of a device of this characterhaving novel drive means whereby the propellers may be positively drivenregardless of their positions. l

Another object is the provision of a device of this character which willbe comparatively simple in construction, easy to control, eilicient inservice, and a general improvement in the art.

With the above and other objects vand advantages in view, the inventionconsists in the details of construction to be hereinafter more fullydescribed and claimed and illusf tratedl in the accompanying drawings inwhich;

Figure 1 isa side elevation showing the pro ellers in horizontalposition,

ig. 2 is a front elevatlon thereof,

'Fig-*3 is a to plan view, j

Fig., 4 is a ront elevation showing the propellers swung into verticalposition,"

Fig. 5 is a side elevation with the propellers in vertical position,

Fig 6 is adetail longitudinal sectional view showing the means forshifting the propellers, and

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary detail view.

Referring more particularly to the drawlngs, the numeral 10 designatesthe fuselage or body whichin the present instance, is shown as being ofthe boat type so that the devlce will constitute a hydroplane though itis to be understood that ifpreferred, the ordinary type of fuselageprovided with landing wheels may be used instead. Disposed above thebody 10 are theupper and lower planes 11 and 12 which are of ordinaryconstruction and which are 'secured by the usual or any preferred struts13 and any necessary guy wires 14. The numeral 15 designates the rudderor tail having the usual control designated broadly` by the numeral 16.The above described parts are all well known and are illustrated more orless conventionally as constituting no part of the present invention. l

In carrying out my invention lf provide pairs of upright supports 17arranged at suitably spaced intervals between lthe upper and lowerplanes and secured to each up-v `right is a forwardly extending arm 18.

Braces 19 are connected with the forward extremities of these arms andwith the lower portions of the uprights. Other braces 20 are connectedwith the uprights and with the rear portion of the lower plane so thatthe structure willbe effectually braced and made strong and rigid. Aboveand between each pair of uprights 17 the upper wing or. plane 11 isformed with openings 21 leading back fromits forward edge, for a vpurpose ,to be described.

Disposed somewhat above the lower plane 12 at the front edge thereof, isa shaft 22 which is journaled through all of the supports 17 and securedupon this shaft at the sides of the uprights 17 are sprockets 23. Alsosecured upon the shaft 22 adjacent its central portion is a bevel gear24 with which meshes a bevel pinion 25 carried by a column 26 providedwith a hand wheel 27. The purpose of this structure will be hereinaftermade apparent.

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Journaled through the upper portions of all of the uprights 17 is ashaft .28 upon which are secured sprockets 29 located at the sides ofthe uprights and trained about these sprockets are cha-ins 30 which arealso trained about the sprockets 23 so that when the shaft 22 is rotatedby means of the hand wheel 27 the shaft 28 will be correspondinglyrotated. Rotatable upon the shaft 28 between the uprights of each pairare bevel gears 3l for a purpose to be described.

Rigidly secured to the shaft 28 between each `pair of uprights is an armstructure designated broadly by the numeral 32. The outermost armmembers 32 are of the same height and are considerably shorter than thecentral arm member. Each of these arm members is formed of suitablespaced bars 33 connected intermediate their ends by a transverse plate34 and connected at their free ends by a transverse member 35 formedwith a bearing. The numeral 36 designates another transverse platebetween each pair of bars 33. Carried by each arm 32 is a shaft 37journaled through the plates 36 and 34 and through the bearing 35- andcarryin a propeller 38 of any well known or pre erred construction.Secured upon the end of. each shaft 37 toward the shaft 28 is a bevelgear 39 meshing with the adjacent bevel gears 31. llt should be statedthat all of the arm members 32 are connected for 4simultaneous movementby means of rods 40.

Secured between the uprights 17 are transverse plates 4l which formbearings for vertical shafts 42 which have their upper ends carryingbevel gears 43 meshing with the gears 31. At their lower ends the shafts42 carry bevel gears 44 meshing with bevel gears 45 carried by a shaft46 driven from one or more engines located within the body 10. It willbe understood that this last shaft may. be operated from a single engineor by a plurality of engines, or that, if preferred, each shaft 42 maybe sepa rately driven by an individual engine.

The operation of the device is as follows:

Assuming that the device is at rest upon the water or upon the ground orother surface, it is of course first necessary that the engine orengines be in operation. To rise the operator grasps the hand wheel 27turns it so as to rotate the shaft 22 whereupon the shaft 28 will becorrespondingly rotated by virtue of the chains 30 and sprockets 23 and29. This will cause the arm members 32 to swing upwardly into verticalposition, the openings 21 in the upper plane 11 permitting the armmembers to assume this position. The propellers 38 will all then behorizontally disposedr and they will exert a lifting action forelevating the machine. By operating the hand wheel 27 to swing the armmembers 32 at. any desired angle, it will be seen that the elevating amiA effect may be combined with the propelling action for causing themachine to travel. Regardlessof the position of the arms 32 it willl beseen that the propellers 38 will be positively rotated owing totheinterengagement of the gears 43, 31 and 39. vWhen the arm members 32 arein any horizontal position they will rest upon the bracket arms 18 andwhen in vertical position they will engage against the rear edges of theopenings 21. The degree of swinging of the arm members 32 is thuslimited. By properly manipulating the hand wheel 27 it will be seen thatthe ascent and descent, as well as the direction of travel may bereadily controlled and it will also be apparent that when the propellermembers are horizontal it is theoretically possible to maintain theentire machine stationary.

From the foregoing description and a study of the drawings it will beapparent that l have thus provided a comparatively simple control devicefor flying machines which involves a novel arrangement of parts and aunique system of elevation control, the control mechanism for effectingrising and descending as well as4 travel being all controlled by asingle movable element designed to be retained always withinthe grasp ofthe operator.

While I haveshown and described the preferred embodiment of myinvention, it is of course to be understood that l reserve the right tomake such. changes in the form, construction, and arrangement of partsas will not depart from the spirit of the invention or the scope of thesubjoined claims.l

Having thus describedmy invention, i claim:

1. ln an aeroplane including a body and spaced wings, pairs of uprightsextending between the wings and secured thereto, a plurality of armmembers journaled between the upright, means for swinging said armmembers simultaneously, a shaft rotatable within each arm member, 'apropeller on each shaft, and means for driving said shafts, comprising avertical shaft journaled between each pair of uprights, a bevel gear onthe upper end of each lastnamed shaft,

maaar@ Vary the angular positions of said arm members, and means fordriving the propellers in any position.

3. In an aeroplane including a body and vertically spaced Wings, aplurality of pairs of uprights disposed between and secured to theWings, a shaft journaled through the upper ends of all of said uprights,arm members rigidly secured upon said shaft, a propeller carried by eacharm member, means for partially rotating said shaft Whereby'to prising ashaft journaled through the lower 15 ends of said uprights, sprockets onsaid shafts, chains trained about the correspondlng sprockets, andmanual means for rotating said last named shaft.

In testimony whereof I aix my signature. 20

RBIERT Ell/MET VENTRESS, Sr.

